“I thought I was partying while I was sinking”, former French runner Christophe Moreau recounts his descent into hell… all the way to prison

2023-12-16 14:15:37

By SV

Published 26 minutes ago, Updated 3 minutes ago

Christophe Moreau (center of the image) during the 2007 Tourd de France. Reporters / PanoramiC / Reporters / Panoramic

Fourth in the Tour de France in 2000, Christophe Moreau sank into alcoholism at the end of his career. An addiction which led the former French runner to prison.

“So far, so good. But the important thing is not the fall, it’s the landing.” The fall was hard, violent for Christophe Moreau. The post-career was a real descent into hell for the fourth in the 2000 Tour de France. The 52-year-old former French rider sank into alcohol and drugs until he was sentenced to one month in prison. at the beginning of the year and then being placed in rehab. Everything went wrong the day Christophe Moreau, in a very advanced state of drunkenness, while he was on the phone with his daughter, threatened to kill his ex-wife.

I was really obsessed with pleasing and being the center of things. To still be the one everyone admired, even though I was losing myself.

Christophe Moreau

“In police custody, I was played a recording of what I had said. And I heard some trash talking to my daughter and threatening her mother. That scum was me! I behaved like a lost guy and I had to pay”confided the ex-runner on Friday in an interview with Parisian . The former yellow jersey has realized the devastation that alcohol and illicit substances have left on his life. “I rarely drank alone. But one drink, plus another… And other things even worse with all the possible shit. Cocaine for example. Because I wanted to party without getting tired. My nickname in the industry is “the big one”. And I wanted to justify it. It’s so stupid and lame when I think about it,” explains Moreau before concluding: “And I also fell into other traps like wanting to seduce a little too much. I was really obsessed with pleasing and being the center of things. To still be the one everyone admired, even though I was losing myself. I understood this after the detox treatment imposed by the judge after my detention. Before, I was sure I was managing well. I thought I was celebrating when I was sinking.” Christophe Moreau, who today lives in the small village of Porrentruy, in the Swiss canton of Jura, says he is feeling better and spends as much time as possible with his daughters.